


Paper Hearts

by 30xf



Series: 201 Days Of X Files [82]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 02:53:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11682522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30xf/pseuds/30xf





	Paper Hearts

Scully didn't even consider using her key for Mulder's apartment. She knew he was home, and she knew he was awake, and she knew he'd answer. Besides, she didn't want to risk interrupting anything on the off chance he wasn't alone. She'd known him long enough to know that he likely was alone, and that she'd be more likely to be interrupting something then. So she always knocked before barging into his apartment or motel room.

She knocked sort of quietly, more out of respect for his neighbours than for fear he was asleep. "S'open," he called. Either he knew it would be her, or he just didn't care who came into his space.

He was right there, at his seldom used dining room table, with files and papers spread out all over it. "I'd ask if I woke you, but clearly I did not." She sat in the chair closest to him and handed him one of the two paper cups of tea she'd gotten on the way.

"You are a contradiction, Scully," he noted, taking the cup and setting it aside.

"Why's that?" she frowned.

"You tell me to go home and sleep, and then you stop by and bring me caffeine."

She let out a small puff of air through her nose, the closest thing he was going to get to a laugh. "Actually I didn't bring you caffeine. I brought you the opposite."

Mulder looked suspiciously at the cup before holding the tiny drinking hole under his nose and giving it a sniff. "Did you drug this?" he asked, not altogether joking.

"It's chamomile tea," she explained, holding back an eye roll. "It's supposed to calm you and help you sleep."

He took note of the same colour tags on their tea bags. "Must not be that effective if you're gonna drink it and then drive home."

Scully sighed and gently lowered her head to the the table. "Jesus, Mulder," she breathed out, exasperated.

Mulder chuckled, "I'm just kidding. I appreciate you coming all the way here at this time of night to bring me this." He laid a hand on her forearm for a moment to show his sincerity, and then returned his attention to his work.

"What are you working on?" she asked, resting her chin in her hands and her elbows on the table. As soon as she looked though, she saw exactly what he was doing.

"I just want to make sure I didn't miss anything, you know?" he told her, looking over photos and documents relating to his sister's disappearance.

"Mulder," Scully sighed. "You know these files inside and out. You haven't missed anything."

"But what if I did?" he asked, looking her in the eye. "Even if Roche didn't have anything to do with Samantha, what if someone else did?" Scully didn't know what to say to that, so she just looked back at him. "What if the answer's been here all along, and I've just been too blind to see it?"

"You're tired, Mulder. And you've had an emotional few days," she rationalized. "It's only natural that you'd start to question these things."

"You said it yourself, Scully--you don't think Samantha was taken by aliens. So you must believe something else happened to her, right? What do you believe happened?"

She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. Of course she didn't believe Samantha Mulder was taken by aliens. And of course she'd gone over some other scenarios in her head--usually to do with cases they were working on. And she'd even allow that the theory that Roche, or someone like him, had something to do with her disappearance was plausible. But she could see what all this speculation was doing to her partner, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him more. "I've never really thought about it, Mulder. And even if I had, anything I'd have come up with would just be guessing." She took his hand then. "You're the one that was there, Mulder. You're the one with the memories. It's only what you believe that matters," she told him honestly.

He nodded, but didn't seem convinced. He squeezed her hand before letting go to collect the papers in front of him. "Point taken," he said, almost relieved at having her tell him his beliefs were valid. "No middle of the night adventures today," he smiled.

"Good," she said, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "Coz I'd just as soon not be reamed out by Skinner again."

"What?" he asked, frowning his amusement.

"Oh, he was pissed at me," she explained, taking a drink of her tea. "Apparently I was supposed to keep guard over you that whole time."

"Shit, sorry," he told her, stacking his files at the side of the table. "Is that why you're here now? To babysit?" he smiled.

"Well, not exactly," Scully allowed, smirking. "But let's just say that if I have to put one of those child leashes on you, I will."


End file.
